A total of 43 floating hotels and Nile Cruise ships have so far obtained the government mandated health and safety certificates since these types of hotels resumed trips in October.
The certificates are approved by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the Ministry of Health and Population, and the Egyptian Hotels Association (EHA). It allows floating hotels to reopen as part of precautionary measures against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
In a statement, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said that the floating hotels were verified as meeting the health and safety requirements set out by the Egyptian government and the World Health Organization (WHO).
Abdel Fattah Al-Assy, Assistant Minister of Tourism and Antiquities for Inspection on Hotels and Tourist Establishments, said 41 of the floating hotels work between Luxor and Aswan, and two work in Cairo.
The ministry’s inspection committees approved 26 floating hotels between Luxor and Aswan last week, including: Nile Dolphin Hotels; Solaris 1; Premium; Amo Boat; Abercrombie 2; Zaina; Medea; La Travita; Tosca; Beau Rivage 1; Château Lafayette; Esmeralda; Champollion 2; Abercrombie Nile Adventure; Crown Jewels; Royal; Regency Louvain; Miss World; Nile Plaza; Nile Shams; Emilio; Miss Beau Rivage 2; Nile Marquis; Blue Shadow; and Farah. In addition to these, the Nile Vision and River Boats in Cairo also received ministry approval to restart operations.
Al-Assy said that the inspection committees are continuing work on the rest of Egypt’s floating hotels that have submitted applications to obtain a health and safety certificate.
Once approved, they will be allowed to operate with an occupancy rate of 50% of their total capacity, in accordance with the regulations for hotels and floating hotels set out by the Egyptian government.
Egypt suspended international flights at all airports nationwide on 19 March, as part of government efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus. Inbound tourism flights only resumed on 1 July to three governorates, namely the Red Sea, South Sinai, and Matrouh Governorates, as part of a first stage of resumed tourism.
Tourism activities in Luxor and Aswan resumed in early September, with floating hotels allowed to resume work on 1 October.